Virginia Nelson's Blog, page 13

12 Authors. 12 Signs. 1 Explosive Series. Introducing the Tempting #Signs #series from Fated Desires Publishing!

Forever Devoted ~ Taurus - Coming April 21st, 2015Add it on Goodreads | Fated Desires Publishing Robbie Jacobs is content being just one of the guys. For years, she’s run with her “Pack,” a group of rowdy boys she went to high school with, used to party with, and now leans on in times of trouble. She has a couple gal pals, sure, but none of them are as close as the Pack….
Gray Smythe has been the unchallenged leader of their group of friends for years. Stoic, determined, he’s managed to be there for them all through some crazy shit. But when Robbie, the only girl in their group, gets into a car accident, the line between friendship and love suddenly gets a hell of a lot thinner.
One stubborn Taurus man who’s sure he knows what’s right and wrong, and one woman fighting to win back her body and a chance at love…. Will Robbie believe Gray is actually Forever Devoted?

The second book of the Tempting Signs series! 12 Authors. 12 Signs. 1 Explosive Series. Be prepared starting in March 2015 with Aries for the Signs of the Zodiac to lead the way to love in the emotional contemporary series.

´*•.¸»♥«¸.•*´ Some Like It Secret by Heather Long #NewRelease #contemporary #GoingRoyal ´*•.¸»♥«¸.•*´

Some Like It SecretHeather Long

´*•.¸♥¸.•*´ AVAILABLE NOW ´*•.¸♥¸.•*´  Amazon Exclusive

His life is an open book.

The second Andraste son, Sebastian, has always been the “spare.” His secret affair began as a lucky accident yet lasted over five years. After his older brother’s marriage, the press speculates wildly about which Dagmar will be next. The paparazzi dogs his every step, making it harder and harder to spend time with Meredith. When she abruptly ends the relationship, his world seems to turn upside down.

She’s his dirty little secret.

The last place Meredith Blake expected to find herself was in the bed of a prince, but her tempestuous affair with Sebastian Dagmar feeds her need for passion. He's put off revealing their relationship and, understanding his need for privacy, she’s contented herself with being the object of his very real affection whenever they were together. Those times draw farther and farther apart and his royal life stampedes their romance. She wonders if she's just not good enough for him. Deciding enough is enough, Meredith ends their affair, tired of being his dirty little secret.

Enough is enough…

Sebastian wanted to protect Meredith from the media and security circus that came with the royal package, but he refuses to lose the love of his life. He'd do anything to keep her—even kidnap her to a private isle. Can he overcome her reluctance, evade the press, and protect her from assassins determined to end the Dagmar family once and for all?

*Note from Virg:
This is a series, but each book can easily be read as a standalone in my opinion. Although it would of course increase the reader's enjoyment if they recognized the secondary characters appearing (since this adds the, "Aww...it's Armand," experience), none of these books require that.

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You don’t have to give credit to me if you don’t wanna. I don’t care, seriously. This isn’t about me…it is about helping others.

Everyone is talking about their holiday shopping and some of you are probably like me—I haven't managed to get the things my own kids want. But if this is the holiday for giving, shouldn’t we also be thinking of others? My kids are healthy and happy. They have a lot of stuff, if not all the stuff they want. We go to sleep in warm, clean beds every night and know we’ll wake up the same in the morning. Not everyone has that. Folks that don’t? I figure they’re probably having a hard time getting through this season. We could make a difference for them, a real difference.

Money is tight. I get that. I don’t have money to throw around either. But I have time. When I can, I try to help out here and there. I also like to look up ways I CAN afford to help more, whether for free or for a small amount of money. Just about everyone can afford to help those who have even less than us this holiday season—folks who aren't WITH their family or are trapped in the sterile walls of a hospital, for instance.

I found a few free/low cost ways you can probably help out this holiday season. I’m not saying do all of them, but maybe there’s something on here that will strike a you. These folks deserve a smile this holiday. Maybe you'll be the one thing that gets them through what is supposed to be a happy season, but for them hasn't been one at all.

Some kids are stuck in a bed surrounded by strangers. Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital and Hanna House could use your help this holiday season. Rainbow Babies & Children is 65% children under the age of 3. That hospital has 244 beds services about 30k people a year, and they once saved my daughter's life. Their wishlist includes items almost anyone can afford—chapstick, band aids, a baby rattle, little things. Read more here:
http://www.uhhospitals.org/rainbow/se...

If you haven't heard of Ronald McDonald's house, they offer a place for sick kids' families to stay with/near their sick child—over SEVEN THOUSAND bedrooms, actually. There are currently 322 Ronald McDonald's Houses in 57 countries and regions. If you've ever visited a sick kid ward and seen a child alone, surrounded by machines and strangers...yeah, it is important they have the support of their family while they’re trying to get well. Not everyone can afford to be there, so this charity offers them a way. There are boxes in almost every McDonald's—you can even just toss a penny in the box after getting a .99 cent burger in the drive-thru. Hey, I get it. Not everyone can afford to give up their change. If you can’t afford to put money in the box, they have another program... You or your business can collect pop tabs to help raise money (through recycling) for the kids. Doesn't sound like it could help much? Some chapters of Ronald McDonald House have raised $30k with pop tabs in a year. They also offer a wishlist including little things like trash bags, stamps, cards, foil and sandwich bags.
Find out more here: http://www.rmhc.org/other-ways-to-help

The Red Cross is no longer doing the Holiday Mail for Heroes, but you can still go to their website to find ways you can sign a card for a military service member far from home this holiday season. Instead of one address, they have localized it, and are likely having a 'card making/signing' event in your area. To find out when/where— http://www.redcross.org/support/get-i...

If you know of other ways to help, go ahead and toss them in the comments section of this post because I try to do this (or something like it) every year. I’ll save your responses and include them next year.

And remember…we’re all in a hurry. It is the holidays! We’ve got places to go, things to do, and not a lot of time to do them. But a smile? A moment of biting back your temper and taking a second to listen? Sometimes those little things can make a big difference, too.

Be kind to each other.

xoxo
mama virg

I write a lot... #SongLyrics #parody #writers

So...this happened.


I stay up too late, got stories in my brain
That's what writers say mmm, that's what writers say mmm
I schedule too many due dates, but I can't slow down.
At least that's what writers say mmm, that's what writers say mmmBut I keep typing, can't stop, won't stop typing
It's like I got this muse in my body sayin it's gonna be all right.'Cause the kids are gonna play, play, play, play, play
And the dinner’s gonna burn, burn, burn, burn, burn
Baby, I'm just gonna write, write, write, write, write
I write a lot, I write a lot!
Dark moment is going dark, dark, dark, dark, dark
And the plotters gonna plot, plot, plot, plot, plot
Baby, I'm just gonna write, write, write, write, write
I write a lot, I write a lotI'll never miss a deadline, I'm lightning at my desk
And that's what they don't see mmm, that's what they don't see mmm
I'm writing on my own (writing on my own), I'll make the plot up as I go (plot up as I go)
And that's what they don't know mmm, that's what they don't know mmmBut I keep moving, can't stop, won't stop grooving
It's like I got this muse in my body and it's gonna be all right'Cause the kids are gonna play, play, play, play, play
And the dinner’s gonna burn, burn, burn, burn, burn
Baby, I'm just gonna write, write, write, write, write
I write a lot, I write a lot!
Dark moment is going dark, dark, dark, dark, dark
And the plotters gonna plot, plot, plot, plot, plot
Baby, I'm just gonna write, write, write, write, write
I write a lot, I write a lotI, I write a lot, I write a lot
I, I write a lot, I write a lot
I, I write a lot, I write a lot
I, I write a lot, I write a lotHey, hey, hey, just think while you've been getting down and out about the liars and dirty, dirty cheats in the world you could have been getting down to this sick beatMy ex-pub brought his new author
She's like "oh my God", but I'm just gonna write
And to the fella over there with the hella good rank
Won't you come on over, baby, cross-promote, cross, cross'Cause the kids are gonna play, play, play, play, play
And the dinner’s gonna burn, burn, burn, burn, burn
Baby, I'm just gonna write, write, write, write, write
I write a lot, I write a lot!
Dark moment is going dark, dark, dark, dark, dark
And the plotters gonna plot, plot, plot, plot, plot
Baby, I'm just gonna write, write, write, write, write
I write a lot, I write a lotI, I write a lot, I write a lot
I, I write a lot, I write a lot
I, I write a lot, I write a lot
I, I write a lot, I write a lot
I write a lot, I write a lot
I, I write a lot, I write a lot
I, I write a lot, I write a lot
I, I write a lot, I write a lot

Now #available for #Preorder - Back In Time

Back In Time by Virginia NelsonComing March 17th Now available for preorder on Amazon!
Amazon | iBooks | KoboAdd it on Goodreads here

Lady Daffodil Davola grew up traveling Ren Faires with her family. She’s not ashamed of living life off the grid, content with her world and the bawdy band of misfits and wanderers who share it with her. She doesn’t seek the approval of the outside world…not even from the one man who ever made her want something more.

Gregory Wilder grew up in a family obsessed with politics, determined to become movers and shakers. He remembers a fluke visit to a medieval faire and the girl he met once upon a time. After a messy divorce, he’s determined to find her and see what if…

Assigned to play King and Queen, they have to work together for Knight’s week, like it or not, because Daffy’s father insists. Can they make it through a week without killing each other, or will they end up Falling Back In Time?

Cuz I'm All About The #Books

If you're hoping to get a blog of virg-ramble or an all out virg-rant, this blog isn't for you. For today? I'm gathering all things books and dropping them here for ease of access to those who want to know.

*clears throat* Here are things I can speak of and links to them. (This list eliminates things that are no longer around/available on Amazon or things I can't even say are a secret...because they're that secret.)

The links I included are Amazon, however most of these are available in TONS of other places.

(For example Kobo, ARe, B&N, Overdrive—click on the names for my author page on each of those distributors—and the publishers websites.)


Coming in 2015 January - Super Secret Things February - Other ThingsMarch - Back In Time (Preorder now iBooks | Kobo )  April - Forever Devoted
Release Date *TBA for 2015 Penthouse Prince | Must Love Cakes | Necro | Odd Fate | Wolf On A Leash Give Me A Reason | Bond of Three Series | Odd Stuff Audiobook
Audiobook Releases In 2014 Sleeping Garden (YA) | Magical Curves | Taking Control | Hypnotist | Dom of the Dead  
Print Releases in 2014 Odd Stuff | Odd Melody | Secrets of a Snarky Writer (Nonfic)
Box Set Releases in 2014 Box of 1Night Stands | Spank or Treat 2014 | 4 Sexy Snarky Tales 
eBook Releases in 2014 Runaway Groom | Magical Curves | Taming Tabitha | Odd Stuff | While You Were Writing Odd Melody | Secrets of a Snarky Writer | Her Sexy Skunk | The Were the Witch and The Baby
eBook Releases in 2013
Dom of the Dead | Catching Death | Turn Me On | Taming of a Sex God | Rumor Has It  Sugar on Top | Hunting for Love | Rumpling Riley
eBook Releases in 2012
Taking Control | Hypnotist | Clothing Optional | The Accidental Pirate | Lips of Velvet
The Series The Watkin's Pond Series:Runaway Groom | While You Were Writing | Must Love Cake (2015) | Forty Candles (*TBA)
The Odd Series:Odd Stuff | Odd Melody | Odd Wolf (2015) | Odd Fate (2015)
The Magical Trilogy:Magical Curves | Magical Mayhem (2015) | Magical Healing (*TBA)
The Bond of Three Series:Taming Tabitha | Calling Caralisa (*TBA) | Riding Ripley (*TBA) | Fighting for Fiona (*TBA)
*TBA - To Be Announced
**Works in Progress not listed, but more coming soon...promise
***Although there is a series order, most of my series books can be read as stand alones. For instance, the Watkin's Pond series is a bunch of small town romance set in the same town. Although characters from other books crossover, each is intended to be enriched by the rest of the series, not dependent. 

#Contest Win a Kindle & 6 Hot New Releases!

#Spotlight on Lissa Matthews! #NewRelease

Shifting Currents
by Lissa Matthews  
Available Now!  Amazon| Barnes and Noble | All Romance eBooks
Blake doesn’t want a mate. No way. No how. And he certainly doesn’t want her camping on his land, floating down his stretch of river, or looking like she belongs in his bed. But that's exactly what he gets when he happens upon a curvy woman with shades of sunset hair named Leah.She's on vacation and isn’t looking for any complications, especially in the form of a shifter or the possessive MINE signal he gives off.So, what are two bears to do when they've convinced themselves they don't want, much less need anyone else?  They give in to the pull and mate, of course, but in sex only. No life commitment. No cubs. No changing the way they live: Separate and independent of each other.Except when she leaves his mountain, Blake can't get her off his mind and Leah can't stop craving his particular brand of gruffness. Now, the one thing neither wanted, has come full circle, and is ready to bite them both.
Snippet:He knew pain and loss, and he didn’t want anything to do with it ever again. A woman would only complicate his uncomplicated life. “I’ll just stay away from her,” he declared to the four walls. “I’ve done a good job of it so far. I can just keep doing so until she leaves the area.”You could kick her out. She is trespassing.Blake couldn’t argue with the thought. She was camping on private property. But, he reasoned, she was set up and he wouldn’t make her move. Especially since it would put him in the position of having to talk to her. No, he’d let her stay and hope that she left real soon.Feeling satisfied with himself and his decision, Blake made for the kitchen and the Mason jar of iced coffee in the fridge. If summers were good for anything, it was iced coffee. He drank it black, undiluted but for a few ice cubes and a slight sweetness.He stepped onto the deck at the back of the house, and took a deep breath. The heat wasn’t so bad with something cold coating his throat and cooling him from the inside out. But it was still oppressive. He turned to re-enter the cabin, but caught the scent before he could turn his head. She was near. To the northeast and getting closer.Blake debated with himself. Should he get closer? Should he get a look at her? His body screamed that yes, he should. His brain screamed obscenities at him for even considering it.Her scent was stronger now. “Man, this is such a bad idea,” he whispered to no one even as he set the jar down and crept off the deck to the forest floor. Lucky for him, for a six foot five guy, he could be surprisingly stealthy.He wound his way through the brush toward the water, careful to keep out of sight. A stand of trees and low-lying bushes allowed him to stay out of view. He crouched to his knees and waited.He didn’t have to wait long. Her inner tube rounded the bend in the river several seconds later and Blake had to bite down on his tongue to keep a groan at bay. His soul growled “Mine” and his brain knew they were all goners.
About Lissa:Born and raised in the South and currently living in North Carolina, talented, multi-published author, Lissa Matthews, has many loves in her life: Family, friends, NASCAR, football, music of all kinds, cooking, and penning stories filled with feisty, sassy heroines and naughty heros, and last, but certainly not least, coffee.Please visit her Websitefor the most up to date information on her books and sign up for her Newsletter to be informed of new releases, sales, and special subscriber information.Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter

Setting #Goals -- a post by mama virg

I used to post all of it on the blog, but in recent years I've gone far more private with a lot of my goals.

When I started, I did it for accountability--if I'd published online that I was going to do something, I was more likely to hold myself to the goals I'd set.

But then I became more involved in social media. Some folks were fantastic, really supportive and encouraging. They'd say they believed in me, rah-rah, that sort of thing.

Some folks? They attack you for being transparent. Whether they call the posts bragging or if they flat out say you can't do it, they're there to encourage that little voice in the back of your mind which told you that you couldn't do The Thing.

I say The Thing because it doesn't matter what goal you've set, they're out there to either accidentally or purposefully undermine what you're doing. Are you all about losing some weight this year?

"God, don't tell me about your salad or the fact you've managed a mile in under ten minutes! "

Sure, you may have just accomplished something really, really major (perhaps you were addicted to soda or couldn't walk the block without wheezing a few months prior to posting your update), they are there to tell you to stuff it.

This goes with writing, too, although it has always been mind boggling to me when other writers attack their own kind with cannibalistic glee. We're all out there, sitting alone with blank screens and minds full of doubts, trying hard to do something we've dreamed of. Why, when you know how hard it is to juggle life and storytelling, would you tear anyone else down? Can that actually make anyone, whether you're the poster or the one reading it, feel better about themselves?

Eh, well, it happens and it happens to everyone is my point there. It isn't always trolls, either. More often than not, the naysayers in the world are people we actually know--our family, our friends, our spouses. If they can't see where you're aiming or understand how you're planning to get there from here, they're as likely to accidentally shred dreams with their comments as strangers.

Even if they follow the statement with a jovial, "Oh, you know I'm only kidding!"

So, that said, I've been quieter about my personal goals. I've told some of them to my best friends. Some I've shared with my crit partners. But like a dragon guarding a treasure, I never gave anyone access to the whole dream. Almost like I thought if I only shared fragments with this person and other fragments with another...

No one could tell me I couldn't do it.
My point? Setting personal goals is important. Whether you share that goal with the world (joining something like NaNoWriMo where everyone can see that you're trying to write 50k in a month or joining a weight loss support group, for instance) or if you keep the nuggets spread out like me, the goal itself can drive you to more.

I told my kid the other day that he shouldn't worry what people think of him. Most people are far too concerned with the little voice in their own head--

The one saying, "Gah, I got coffee on my shirt. Now all anyone can see is the coffee stain...is there something in my teeth? God, I can't believe I just said that. I'm an idiot."

--to even bother worrying about all the things you're busy crucifying yourself for.

Because we all do that. We all fight the little voice in our heads. We wage a daily and constant war against the internal narrator, bury our insecurities with fake smiles, pretend we're okay when we're totally not...

I've said it before and I'll likely say it another thousand times--

If we spent our days working to bring up those around us, giving them hope, encouragement, and bringing light to the world in general, we probably still won't change the world. We likely won't even change our hometown.

But we can change the people around us, one smile at a time. If we make the people around us happier, we've changed OUR world, which is more than a lot of people ever manage.

Set goals. Nail them. Do a little butt wiggle and dance around your house with the joy of accomplishing The Thing, whatever your thing is.

Change your world instead of trying to change minds. You'll never change what the world thinks of you, but you can change how you look at it.

Sometimes all it takes to start is knowing one person believes in you.




xoxo
mama virg

My book is being featured on Saturday November 22nd 2014 ...

My book is being featured on Saturday November 22nd 2014 at eBookSoda, a new readers' site where they'll send you ebook recommendations tailored to your taste. www.ebooksoda.com.

Meet Radcliffe here:
Amazon- http://amzn.to/1snODQS
B&N- http://bit.ly/1ug7yMV
iTunes- http://bit.ly/1qNyC3S
Samhain - http://bit.ly/1yPVXWA